Farmers urged not to take law into own hands

FARMERS in Ballymena and the wider mid-Antrim area continue to be urged by the PSNI to leave law enforcement to the police and to report suspicious activity in the countryside rather than react to it themselves.

The news that farmers in rural Ballymena were prepared to turn vigilante in a bid to protect their property and premises against criminal elements was broken last week by The Ballymena Times.

The depth of feeling amongst the farming community that police were simply not doing enough to combat rural crime came to light at the latest PACT (Partners and Communities Together) meeting in The Braid when around 30 farmers attended in a bid to air their concerns.

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They were supported in their view by local councillor and MLA Paul Frew who claimed that some farmers had even taken to organising their own armed patrols

In a statement issued to press on Friday, H District Superintendent Brian Kee advised farmers to leave law enforcement to the police.

He said: “My message would be very strongly that farmers who see suspicious activity need to report it to the police immediately.

“We are working very hard to prevent and detect these crimes. We are patrolling the roads night by night.”

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Supt Kee insisted there are sufficient police officers to patrol the Ballymena area.

He added there was no need for a specialist farm crime task force “because all police officers are committed to protecting life and property and bringing offenders to justice”.

Supt Kee also said police “are aware of a number of organised criminal gangs” operating in H District and are closely monitoring them but said he believed “the vast majority of crime in rural areas is carried out by travelling criminals or opportunistic thieves”.

“This would be people who will call into farms looking for work and wanting to cut silage or to paint. If they see an opportunity to steal a quad and tools they will come back in the subsequent days,” he said.

But concern is mounting in the farming community.

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One local farmer whose property who has been raided 14 times has spoken of his anger over thieves sending his insurance “through the roof”.

Cullybackey man Wilbert Hanna, 59, who runs a beef and dairy farm, said thieves have taken more than £50,000 of equipment from his premises over the last four years.

Mr Hanna, who has CCTV cameras and extensive security at his property, said that just two weeks ago he spotted two masked men “prowling around my yard”.

“We caught them on camera,” he said.

“We know the boys because we have seen them here before. We have to lock everything up now and practically nail it down.

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“The cost of insurance is crippling – but you have to insure against these criminals.”

Mr Hanna said he and other farmers were now patrolling the roads in a bid to stamp out theft.

“We are watching everything all the time,” he said.

In response to such growing local concerns, Ballymena DPP held a special meeting last Wednesday in Ardeevin which was attended by PSNI officers and some 50 farmers.

Speaking after the meeting, which was held behind closed doors, DPP Chair Councillor O’Loan said: “I am content, having chaired the meeting this week and as a contributor to the rural PACT last week, that enforcement in the rural community is something that should be taken very seriously by the PSNI.

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“And the question of responding promptly and with consideration to a victim of crime is something that the public have a right to expect from the police, which will go a long way to improving public confidence in the service.

“I would also caution all farmers not to act rashly and take the law into their own hands, as it will only be detrimental to yourself, your business and your family in the long-run. I can also give a personal assurance that the policing concerns of the rural community will continue to be pursued within the DPP and the PCSP, which will replace the DPP in April if all goes to plan, the concerns raised here tonight will not be brushed under the carpet, they will continue to be highlighted, as they have been in the recent past”.

Mrs Mary Cruikshank, Vice Chair of the DPP and a member of the farming community added: “... a lot of farmers have been driven to the edge. Some have threatened violence if they find an intruder on their property, but I would appeal to them to stay within the law.

“No one wants to see a farmer, the victim, in court with all the ramifications this would have for their family and their livelihood. So I would appeal to everyone in the community, please work with the police and take an active interest in raising any concerns that you have regarding police performance through the appropriate channels”.

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Assemblyman Paul Frew, who also attended the meeting, said he would be seeking talks with the Chairman of the Policing Board “to discuss this issue in detail with him in order to seek a resolution to this major problem”.

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